A Riddle or a Rhyme

Ginny Weasley

October 10^th

2:37 pm

It was Voldemort. He was the one coming up the stars. He must have snuck in, because I didn't notice him there until I realized that something was blocking my light. I looked up, slowly, and found myself staring into a pale, smirking face with crimson eyes.

I woke up lying on a dusty, wooden floor. My vision was blurry, but I saw the bright orange color of a fire. I lay there, listening to the crackling and letting the warmth spread over me. Then I saw to feet come into focus. I was at the foot of someone sitting in a chair. I heard voices. A high cold one that made chills run through my spine, and a nice, familiar one. Tom. Tom was there.

I sat up and looked up at Tom. I could tell that I was wide-eyed and that fear was written all over my face. My breathing was shallow in my nervous state. Tom noticed my movement and dropped down beside me, gathering me in his arms.

"Ginny! Ginny, you're okay. I was so worried," he said, sounding relieved, but tearful. He held me close, and for that moment I felt safe. I relaxed a little, letting him hug me tight; taking in everything about him for I had no idea was to be the last time.

Voldemort's soft chuckling interrupted our reunion. "Touching," he said quietly. "It's a pity that it must end, and I must be the one to end it."

Tom glared into Voldemort's gleaming, red eyes with his own dark, piercing ones.

"Why did you bring us here?" Tom asked harshly.

"Ah, yes, an explanation," said Voldemort, surveying Tom over the tips of his long fingers. "I brought the girl here as bait to make you come to me. After getting you here, I intended to force you to restart your little soul stealing spell."

"No! I'd never do it. I'd never hurt Ginny on purpose, ever again!" Tom practically shouted.

"Oh, it doesn't have to be intentional, my boy. I did say that I mean to force you, did I not?" said Voldemort, aiming his wand at Tom. "Imperio!"

Tom's eyes seemed to have glazed over, and his previously angry expression had been wiped blank. Tom took out his wand, and said, "Accio knife!" A knife flew to him from somewhere in the room, and he caught it in his hand.

Tom put the knife to his open hand, and slit across the palm. I was speechless, and could only sit and watch as his blood poured out of the gash. Then Tom began to kneel down next to me. I caught a glimpse of his face, which was still blank, but his eyes had regained their familiar fire. Tom took my hand in his, putting the bloody knife to my own palm. It was cold and damp on my skin and caused me to shudder. He pressed the blade down, threatening to break the flesh...

"NO!" he screamed, just as he was about the drag the blade across my hand.

He was himself again. Tom threw his hands down on the floor, and hung his head forward, hiding his face from me.

"I won't hurt her, Voldemort. I refuse to cause her any more harm," Tom said angrily, though his voice was slightly muffled. I saw tears falling on the floor, and realized that for the first time, I was witnessing Tom Riddle crying. I wanted nothing more than to hug him, and comfort him, but I knew I'd be pushed away. Now I wish I'd taken the risk...

What went on next happened so fast that I barely understood what was going on. Tom grabbed the knife, jumped up, and thrashed the knife toward Voldemort, making a huge gash in his arm. Before Voldemort could do anything, Tom placed his bloody hand over the cut on Voldemort's arm. Pointing the wand in his other hand at this spot, he muttered a spell so quietly that I couldn't understand him. I knew what he was doing, though. He was connecting himself to Voldemort.

Holding his wand steady, pointing at the same place on Voldemort's arm, he shouted, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" just as I screamed, "NO!"

I only remember a flash of green light before darkness overtook me.

I woke up what must have been hours later. Dawn was breaking, and light was had started flooding into the room. I picked up my head, which felt like it might explode from pain, and looked around. I expected to see the bodies of Tom and Voldemort, but there was nothing. Nothing except for a single, solitary wand. The same wand that had killed so many people, including its owner.

I knew I had to get back to Hogwarts. I saw a pot of floo powder sitting on the mantle over the fireplace. I mustered the strength to stand, took the wand and a handful of floo powder. I threw it into the fire, causing it to explode with green. I stepped into the blazing flames, letting their warmth wash over. After a moment I shouted, "Gryffindor Common Room!" and was swept away, spinning in the emerald ashes.

I stumbled out of the fire, back in the Common Room. I was dizzy and tired. I couldn't help myself collapsing, there in front of the fireplace. The first people to go down to breakfast were a small group of seventh years. The first thing they saw, walking into the Common Room was a young girl with bright red hair, crumpled on the floor, lying unconscious in front of the fire.